Three Valparaiso men's golfers - graduated senior Austin Gaugert (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) and seniors to be Kyle Henning (Brookfield, Wis./East) and Thomas Wettstein (Neenah, Wis./Xavier) - all were honored this week as Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars as the Golf Coaches Association of America announced this year's honorees.

The GCAA honored a total of 152 Division I players who were juniors or seniors academically, participated in at least 50 percent of his team’s competitive rounds during the season, had a stroke average of 76.0 or below during the 2012-2013 season and maintained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2. Valpo boasted three of the Horizon League's four honorees.

"I'm extremely proud of Austin, Kyle, and Thomas for being recognized with this national award," said Crusader head coach David Gring. "This is a strong testimony to the hard work, focus, and determination that they show on the golf course and in the classroom. To have three players on our team receive this national award is a wonderful example of the importance that the whole team places on academics at our university."

The trio of Gaugert, Henning and Wettstein ranked 1-2-3 on the 2012-2013 Crusader squad in stroke average, leading Valpo to its first-ever Horizon League Championship. Gaugert and Henning both were All-Horizon League honorees, with Gaugert setting a new Crusader single-season scoring average record of 74.7 and Henning moving into third on Valpo's single-season list with a 75.5 stroke average. Wettstein, whose 75.8 scoring average is fifth-best in a single season in Crusader history, earned individual medalist honors at the 2013 Horizon League Championship and was joined by Henning on the All-Tournament Team.

The trio of Crusaders also succeed in the classroom as well. Gaugert graduated with a 3.392 cumulative GPA as a marketing and sports management double major. Meanwhile, Henning owns a 3.805 cumulative GPA as a civil engineering major, while Wettstein carries a 3.715 cumulative GPA as a finance major.

"Our athletic department is constantly promoting being champions in competition, the classroom, and in the community," said Gring. "These three young men embody the championship attitude, and are well deserving of this important accolade."